A wireless network is any type of computer network that uses wireless data connections for connecting network nodes. Wireless networking is a method by which homes, telecommunications networks and enterprise (business) installations avoid the costly process of introducing cables into a building, or as a connection between various equipment locations. Wireless telecommunications networks are generally implemented and administered using radio communication. This implementation takes place at the physical level (layer) of the open systems interconnection (OSI) model network structure. Examples of wireless networks include cell phone networks, Wi-Fi local networks, and terrestrial microwave networks.
Wireless security is the prevention of unauthorized access or damage to computers using wireless networks. The most common types of wireless security are Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) and Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA). WPA2 uses an encryption device, which encrypts the network with a 256 bit key; the longer key length improves security over WEP. However, maintaining wireless network security measures across multiple devices can become cumbersome and reduce the effectiveness of the security measure.
The above-described background relating to wireless network security is merely intended to provide a contextual overview of some current issues, and is not intended to be exhaustive. Other contextual information may become further apparent upon review of the following detailed description.